


Black Sea {Nygmobblepot} [discontinued]

by TealrootsG



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 02:54:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17215655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TealrootsG/pseuds/TealrootsG
Summary: After Edward helped Oswald escape from Arkham, the two had trouble staying together as their enemies had different plans for them.(A mix of seasons)





	1. Chapter 1

Despite being one of Gotham's most feared killers, Arkham had still found a way to turn the situation around. Oswald was now terrified of them -what they could do to him, and what they had done to him. Numerous wounds marked his skin, a gash from his temple to the corner of his eye on the right side of his face, it ached every time he blinked. To be fair, everything hurt every time he moved. So, to decrease pain, he'd stopped moving at all, spending his time on the floor curled in a ball.  
Oswald's hair was scruffy, face dirty, clothes filthy and he hadn't eaten a couple of days. But, he no longer cared.  
All his hopes of escaping and regaining his old life back had been destroyed. Gotham was in ruins, he had no influential status anymore. No more respect for him. Not even fear. Arkham had made that quite clear.

Eyes screwed shut, body freezing, stomach growling in hunger, Oswald was balled up in the corner, facing the door in case someone dared to enter. Oswald couldn't guess why they wanted to if they did.  
For some reason, at that time, a guard unlocked the door, not even attempting to make it quiet. The loud noises caused Oswald to jump in surprise, as well as give him the start of a headache.  
The guard stepped in, scowling as she spoke, "you've got a visitor."  
At last, Oswald opened his eyes and clutched on to the rickety bed next to him to help him stand, wincing as he did so. Though he remained slightly hunched, keeping his head down.  
What? he thought. Here to see me?  
"Come on," the guard ordered, not being at all considerate of Oswald's condition. Ruthlessly, she grabbed him by the arm, yanking him out of the room and shoving him ahead. "Get a shift on."  
Ignoring her, Oswald continued at his shuffling pace, abandoning any effort or strength to go faster. The only entertainment he gained from inside the asylum's walls was occasionally irritating the people who worked there. Unfortunately, sometimes he paid for it.  
Luckily, today was not one of those days and he stumbled along until they reached the visiting room. The gate was opened, Oswald was pushed in, locked inside before he could turn around.  
Taking a deep breath, Oswald hung on to the mesh of the gate to steady himself, then slowly began to face who came to visit him in the deteriorating hell that was Arkham Asylum.  
"Hello," a voice he recognised. "I see Arkham is treating you well."  
Shocked, lips parted, Oswald nearly fell at who was smiling pleasantly at him from across the room, like they weren't where they were.  
"How nice of you to come and see me, Ed." He sighed, forcing a small smile in return. "On how we left things, I guarantee you're not here out of kindness or concern."  
Setting a piece of paper on the table he was sat at, Edward answered, "no, I'm here because I received your letter."  
"I," Oswald paused, taking a step forwards so he could see Ed properly in the dim lighting, "I didn't think they'd actually send that out, let alone that you'd actually come."  
Ed stood, hands resting on the table as he leaned forwards. "Of course I'd come-"  
Oswald took a deep breath, not believing it.  
"-its fascinating to see how far you've fallen."  
I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. He reminded himself.  
He was seething. "If you're going to be like that, just leave. I don't want to see you."  
"Come on, Ozzie, don't be childish." Edward grinned.  
Closing his eyes, he resisted the urge to stamp his foot. "Don't call me that, either."  
The light above outlined Ed's sharp features, while the shadows were hiding most of Oswald's appearance. Sighing, the man in the deep green jumper stepped out from behind the table and straightened his glasses out of habit. "It was only a joke. I am here because of your letter, but not because I wanted to waste a trip to make fun of your current predicament."  
Oswald kept quiet.  
Squinting in the darkness, Ed could barely see his old friend, so he walked forwards. However, for every step he took forwards, Oswald took backwards. "What are you doing?" Ed laughed a little, stopping in his tracks, furrowing his brow.  
"I . . . I don't want you to see me this way, Ed."  
"Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot," Oswald winced at Edward using his full name. It felt weird. "I nursed you back to health after you got shot, had to address your wound . . . how is this any different?"  
To his own disappointment, Oswald couldn't think of an answer that didn't sound immaturely ridiculous, so he didn't say anything and just shook his head. "Don't . . ." he said, backing up against the gate when he was approached again by Edward, who reached a hand out to gently brush the hair away from Oswald's eye to reveal a deep gash. "Please." Oswald murmured, gazing up at Ed.  
By now they were so close, Oswald could feel Edward's breath on his cheeks. The close proximity was making him even more nervous than he already was, so he limped past and stood by the huge window, overlooking the grounds of Arkham. Though the glass was misty and he could barely make out anything.  
Edward's stare was piercing enough that Oswald could basically feel it.  
"I want you to know, if there's anything you need, I will-"  
"What I need," Oswald interrupted, "is to get out of this wretched place."  
Nodding, he replied, "I'll work on it . . . but it'll be hard, they've upgraded the security since the last time I broke you out."  
There was a dragged out moment of silence. The air grew thick with awkwardness, it could have been sliced with a knife. Eventually, Oswald gathered up the courage to face the man who used to be something of a 'high school crush.' Ed still had bright eyes, filled with curiosity and Oswald could've gazed in to them for hours. It'd been this long to gain a visit from him, he didn't know when the next one would be, and he might as well make the most of it.  
Although, just as Oswald was about to speak, a guard threw the gate open, "times up."  
"We-" Oswald began to argue, only to have a weapon thrust in his direction to shut him up.  
"No need to hurt him. I'll leave." Edward rushed, grabbed his stuff, placed something on the table as he shot his friend a sympathetic glance, then he was gone, leaving Oswald alone again.  
Sighing, he limped over to the table, picked up whatever Ed had put down and smiled. Like last time, an origami Penguin. Gripping it lightly in his hand, he followed a guard out back to his cell as another shut the gate behind him with a loud clang.

\--

Bare with me on this.


	2. Chapter 2

Being trapped inside Arkham was draining the life out of him. Physically and mentally. Oswald's surroundings matched how he felt. Dark halls, dying lights, murky air that almost made him choke with each breath and the screams echoing throughout the building described how he was feeling accurately.  
The origami penguin stood on his desk, next to a tally of how many days it'd been in Arkham, but he'd singled out the days since he last saw Ed. Even though it seemed like weeks, it had only been nine days. Though this misery was nothing compared to the things he had endured outside on the streets of Gotham.  
With out warning, the door to his room opened and a two men stood at the threshold, one wheeling a metal basket full of letters. No words were exchanged, a man only handed him an envelope then locked him in again.   
Oswald's eyes lit up at the cursive signing of his name on the front, of course he recognised Edward's flamboyant handwriting. Hastily, he ripped it, pulling the letter out and flattening it on the small desk. A smile spread across his face at four simple words.  
'I'm coming for you.'  
In other contexts, it would have been the worst message in the world. But at that moment, it was the second best thing to happen in Arkham.

If there was one thing the asylum deprived patients of, it was sleep. Not once had Oswald gotten a half nights sleep in this place. Some deranged person always ruined the silence and it annoyed the living hell out of him. So when the place was oddly quiet, Oswald questioned everything it could be, but it didn't involve his demise in each outcome, and he attempted, for the two hundredth time, to get to sleep.

\- 

This is incredibly short, I know.


	3. Chapter 3

Regardless of the fact Oswald and Edward had had their many, many arguments, misunderstandings and extreme fights that had ended up with the former dead, they had forgiven one another. Though neither dared say it out loud, or bring up the touchy subject. After all, they were as awkward as each other.  
Deep down, buried underneath the pure hatred for the world, the fear that kept him above all else and constant paranoia, Oswald Cobblepot still cared for Edward Nygma. Admittedly, he would never breath a word of that secret to anyone, it only made it easier for opportunities of torture and torment to be thrown their direction.  
With all these secrets bottled up, it was harder for Oswald to concentrate when he was around him, like he wouldn't be good enough. However, he was still in denial of having any feelings towards Edward, besides friendship. Last time he admitted his love for him, it ended terribly. So now, he swore he wasn't going to repeat the same mistake again.   
This was made even more impossible to do when he found himself back in his old room at the manor, Edward asleep in the chair next to the bed. 

When Oswald first woke up, the initial shock weighed down on him, causing distress and rapid breathing for a few minutes, taking in gulps of air as he attempted to calm down. He didn't know exactly where he was, scanning his surroundings for something familiar. He thought he was in Arkham, although nothing in the room indicated to that conclusion.  
Realising that Edward had actually mastered it, broke him out of Arkham, saved him from their wickedness, kept his promise, Oswald regained hope for their relationship.  
How did he do it?  
A question that circled around in his mind. Surely Edward would tell him soon.  
In the meantime, Oswald untangled himself from the sea of duvet covers and swung his legs around the side of the bed, wincing when it sent a stab of pain up his bad one.   
Glancing down at his clothes, Oswald noticed Ed had changed him in to a sweatshirt and pyjama trousers. He then held up his arm, seeing that he'd bandaged one of his worst wounds, and with that, he knew it suggested Edward had washed him clean as well. He shivered at the mere idea.  
Closing his eyes, he gripped the edge of the mattress, feeling a headache coming on.  
"Ah, Oswald." A voice chimed. "You're awake."   
Ed was in a much too cheery mood for Oswald's liking. Nodding, he remained quiet, opening his eyes to turn to look at Edward, who had messy hair, a t-shirt and pyjama trousers on, slouched in the chair next to the bed. Oswald had to sit cross legged on the mattress to fully face his old friend.  
"How are you feeling? Good, I hope."   
Sighing, Oswald muttered, rubbing his eyes, "better."  
"Great, just wait here a minute." Edward jumped up and walked out of the room.   
Oswald thought it was a bit silly to tell him to wait, it wasn't like he could go anywhere. Even if he could, he wouldn't anyway. Being in the care of Ed again brought back memories of when he'd been shot and Edward had helped him get well. Although, this time, it was going to be double the weirdness because they had history now.  
Before Oswald's mind could carry him on an existential journey of everything gone wrong in his life, Edward came back, a glass in his hand and pills in the other. "These will make you feel better." He stated, giving them to Oswald, who's hands trembled slightly, making him feel a little embarrassed, a blush creeping up on to his cheeks.  
"Thank you," he said, tipping his head back and coughing when the pills went down.  
Edward crawled on to the bed, facing Oswald as he sat, legs crossed too. "Something's on your mind."  
"There's always something on my mind," he argued, wishing he was still asleep.  
"Yes, but this time its different. It shows."  
"Oh?" Oswald set the glass on the bedside table.  
"Oswald," Ed started, placing a hand on top of Oswald's, taking it back when he received a glare in return. "I know you've been through a lot in Arkham, and no one likes talking about what's upsetting them-"  
"I'm not upset." Oswald interrupted, the waver in his voice betraying him.   
"Os-"  
"If you could just leave me alone, that'd be fine." With that said, he yanked the covers back over him and lied down on his side. He felt a weight being lifted off of the mattress as Edward strangely obeyed and left.   
Instantly regretting his actions to push his one friend away, Oswald decided he would make it up to him later. Plus, he knew he should've mentioned how thankful he was that Edward had put an effort in to making him feel comfortable by addressing his wounds and other things that were too intimate for Oswald to think about, considering he wasn't awake at those points either. He might have had no reason to feel embarrassed, but he did.  
Shutting his eyes, the defeated Penguin sighed deeply, thinking about how their relationship had gotten this bad.   
Its my fault.

Admittedly, it was the pleasant smell of food that had woken him up. Oswald was starving. That's how he found himself limping in to the kitchen to see Edward at work by the stove. Keeping quiet, Oswald leaned against the wall (relieving pressure off of his bad leg) as he gazed fondly at Edward, taking note of how he whistled a familiar tune, scratched his head when he wasn't sure if he was following the recipe correctly, the slight hunch of his shoulders when he concentrated and, most off all, how he bit his lip while he worked.   
Truthfully, Oswald could have stared the entire day, but he wasn't going to. Instead, he crept up behind Edward and tapped him on the shoulder, getting his attention in the funniest way he could think of. Amusing because Ed let out a small shriek of surprise and whipped around to find a smug Penguin stood there.  
"Having fun?"  
"Yes, until you gave me a heart attack." Edward replied, his frown of confusion changing to a wide smile. "I'm glad you're up, I was about to go and get you."  
"What for?"  
Raising his hand to reveal a spatula, he said, "I made pancakes. I figured you'd be hungry. Also, I noticed you're now severely underweight from food deprivation and you're dehydrated-"  
"I'm not that bad," Oswald denied, not wanting to cause a fuss.  
"I could see your ribs," Ed then grabbed his hand and held it up, "and I'm afraid your wrists may snap." To prove his point further, Edward showed how he could wrap his thumb and pinky around his friend's wrist and still connect them with a gap between his fingers and Oswald's wrist.  
Scowling a little, Oswald snatched his hand back. "Alright, I get it."  
"So," Ed flashed a smile, "pancakes. Do you want anything with them?"  
"Syrup?" Oswald slid on to one of the chairs at the table, thinking how weird this felt, but how he didn't mind at all either. For a change, it was nice to have someone look after him. To not have to worry for a while. "Can I ask you a question?"  
"Of course," Ed replied as he placed the plates on the table, syrup too.  
"How did you break me out of Arkham?"  
He spotted how Ed tensed. "Well, we knew Jerome was working on an escape plan, he had it all figured out too. We waited until that day, sneaked in and got you out while all the chaos was going on. The guards didn't catch us. Here we are."  
"I have no recollection of this." Oswald raised his eyebrows, encouraging him to elaborate.  
"That's because you were asleep when we came, your heart rate was dangerously low too, which was bad, but gave the advantage of me just being able to carry you out."  
"Okay . . . but who is 'we'?"  
"Barbra, Selina and I-"  
"What?" Oswald couldn't believe it. "Gordon's admirer and cat girl? Our alliance did not end happily, we're not on good terms. If they tell others-"  
"I paid them not to." Edward argued.  
"You must be naïve not to realise they would go back on that. Their words mean nothing-" Cutting himself off, Oswald sighed, putting his head in his hands, elbows on the table. A long pause, so silent they could only hear their breathing. "I-I'm sorry." He stuttered our eventually, secretly looking up at Ed to see his reaction through his fingers.  
Edward smiled, even though Oswald could tell it was forced, sad. "It's fine. A lot has happened."  
"No, I am sorry." Oswald peered up at Ed, who smiled in return, genuinely. He caught himself glancing at Ed's lips, but quickly composed himself, hoping Ed didn't notice. Changing the subject entirely, "now to test how wonderful your cooking skills are." 

Despite their little argument, the pair were able to get past it and overall have a good time together. Hours ago, Edward had suggested they move in to the living room and start a fire. Seeing as how cold it was getting and the radiators weren't doing them justice.   
The roaring flames were beginning to die, leaving the dark room in a low orange glow. Hours had passed since they'd last added wood to the fire. And Edward had to admit how at peace he felt. Also, he could say the same for Oswald, who had fallen asleep ages ago, rendering Ed useless as he couldn't get up, being trapped under a sleeping Penguin on the couch. Previously, he'd tried moving, but that had almost woken Oswald, which he didn't want to do because he appeared calm and needed rest anyway.   
After he'd given it another attempt, it'd made it worse because Oswald had wrapped his arms around Edward's torso, burying his head in the crook of Ed's neck.   
To be honest, he was quiet comfortable, so he settled for pulling the blanket from the back of the sofa on to them. He draped his arm over his friend and shifted a bit to lie his head on a cushion.   
When breaking Oswald out of Arkham, he hadn't expected anything like this.


	4. Chapter 4

When Oswald was the King of Gotham, he had people begging for their lives, citizens living in fear, the police couldn't get near him, and, best of all, he didn't need anyone -not like he needed Nygma. However, in case of anything going haywire, he had alliances to back him up, whether they'd be trust worthy or not.  
An occurring alliance that would turn against him in a heartbeat, then change their mind even quicker when they desired help, was Barbra Kean.  
Having not parted on good terms, he didn't think he'd see her again, perhaps in nightmares.  
So when he woke up to voices downstairs, he really wasn't pleased.

At first, he figured the scuffling and noises were Ed, then he heard glass shattering and he knew something was wrong because if there was one thing Ed was, it was careful.   
Even though Oswald was as harmless as a leaf at the moment, he pulled back the quilts and began searching the room for some sort of weapon. It was his house, meaning there was bound to be a gun stashed somewhere.   
Luckily, he found one attached underneath the bed. Obvious, but easy to reach.  
Rolling is eyes, he sighed at what he was wearing. He always used to look presentable, despite circumstances, and now he was wearing the baggiest pyjamas in the universe. Again, he sighed at himself. It wasn't the time to be worrying about appearances. Should've hardly been a concern.  
Not wasting anymore time on foolish things, Oswald walked silently to the top of the stair case, pausing when he heard other voices. He tried to catch a word of what the were chatting about, but he could barely hear them from where he stood.  
Creeping downstairs, past vacant rooms, he reached the back living room, where Ed stood, thankfully unharmed, facing an old acquaintance, who had a gun poised at his head. Oswald emerged, feeling a slight threat, not a great one, because Zsaz killed first with out interrogation. Patience wasn't his style. This meant he wanted something.  
"What are you doing here?" Oswald questioned, keeping his weapon raised anyway.  
"Don't fret. I'm just the messenger." Victor confirmed, eventually deciding to lower his gun and Ed let out a deep breath in relief. "Word was you'd gotten out of Arkham, I'm here to see for myself." He paused, glancing at the floor, and when he raised his eyes, a smile tugged at his lips. "There are people who aren't happy with you, you've got a lot of enemies out there right now . . . I'd be wary if I were you."  
Oswald felt Ed's eyes drift over to him, felt them burn, but he failed to make eye contact, and instead, he limped over to Victor, stopping a few paces before him. "I was the king of Gotham months ago, who rules now?"   
Zsaz's eyes sparked. "Guess."  
Rolling his eyes, Oswald sneered, "I'm not in the mood to play games, who is it?"  
"Barbra." Victor smirked at the flash of terror on Penguin's features. "Who, by the way, wants to see you. That's why I'm really here."   
Composing himself, he tried to keep his head high, "what time?"   
"Eight o'clock tonight."  
"We'll be there."  
"We?" Victor refused to acknowledge Ed's existence, thought it'd be funny to irritate him.    
"Ed and I, of course." Oswald turned to Edward, furrowing his brow as he realised. "Unless you don't want to?"   
"No, I'll come. It'll be nice for me and Barbra to . . . catch up." He shivered, adjusting the glasses on his face out of habit. Honestly, he didn't want to see her, they hadn't gotten along well, but at least they weren't on bad terms. They simply ignored each other.   
Victor waved, pushing past them. "I'll see you guys later."  
The other two watched him leave, both thinking the same thing. That hopefully the next time they cross paths it won't be at their assassinations.  
Taking a deep breath, Oswald set the gun down on a nearby table, leaning against it as a pain shot through his bed leg with out warning, his head suddenly flaring with heat. He winced, closing his eyes for a second to steady himself, gripping the edge of the table. Ed was by his side in seconds, putting a hand on his shoulder and one around his waist just as Oswald collapsed in his arms, eyes fluttering shut as his body went limp.  
"Oh dear," he muttered, draping Oswald's arm around his shoulders to carry him back to bed. Luckily, but also unfortunately, he was light enough to take upstairs, no problem.   
Gently, he laid Oswald down on the mattress, pulling the covers out from underneath him to tuck him in. "Sleep well, Oswald." He smiled faintly, softly kissing Penguin's forehead. Sighing, he knew he didn't want to leave him alone in case something happened, so he grabbed a book from one the shelves, running his fingers along the spine. The cover was worn and tattered, apparently the former king of Gotham enjoyed reading. Ed smiled.  
He joined Oswald on the bed, sitting beside him and crossing his long legs as he flipped to the first page and began reading.


	5. Chapter 5

Even before his great downfall from being the ruler of Gotham's underworld, Penguin had always been afraid of someone betraying him. The paranoia had often kept him up at night, or had eaten away at his dreams. With the possibility of the news about him in a weakened state spreading, he had more fear than he cared to admit. And he certainly wouldn't admit it to Edward.   
Their visit to Barbra was growing closer and Oswald's doubts were overtaking his mind.   
It could very well be a bloody trap.  
Barbra wasn't the forgiving sort, so having Edward there to reassure him from time to time was more than he could ask for.

Only hours ago had Oswald woken up to discover Ed asleep next to him, although he usually despised his personal space bubble being invaded, he didn't seem to mind. Which was a terrifying thought as he'd tried all of his life not to let anyone close to him, physically or emotionally. Recently, those walls had been knocked down for the man lying next to him.  
And he hated how it made him feel.  
While Ed slept peacefully, Oswald slowly shuffled nearer to him (despite a voice in his head shouting it was a bad idea) and rested his head on his chest, his fingers tracing circles on the back of Ed's hand that was lying across his stomach. He didn't know how long they stayed that way, calm and peaceful.  
Eyes shut, Oswald relaxed by listening to the sound of his friend's heart beat, listening to his breathing and the otherwise silence. Not even the sounds of life from Gotham could be heard.  
By the time Ed stirred, Oswald had almost fallen asleep. Raising a hand to rub his eyes, he yawned, shifting in to a more comfortable position.   
"Morning, sleepyhead." Penguin greeted, looking up at his friend, a smile forming on his face. It was then that Oswald fully realised how he was half lying on top of him, his hand resting on Ed's. A blush bloomed on his cheeks and he hastily got up, clearing his throat.  
Neither of them would ever mention it, but they'd both been enjoying the close proximity.  
"We have a busy day today. We should get ready . . . I'll have to look somewhat presentable."  
"It'll be fine." Edward soothed, noticing the way Oswald's hands trembled slightly at having to face an old foe.   
He took a deep breath, clearly brushing off the subject, "I know . . . its just . . . nothing." He stumbled across to the wardrobe on the far side of the room, Ed's eyes following him. "Are you sure you want to come?"   
Putting the book he'd fallen asleep to reading on the bedside table, Edward rose and walked to the door, leaning on the frame as he stared at his friend, who began filing through his clothes, which by now would be far too big on him. "Yes, I am sure. You need morale support anyway."  
"Thank you." He smiled, gaze flickering to Ed, briefly drifting to his lips, but he tore away before it became noticeable.   
"I'll leave you to get dressed-"  
"Ed." Oswald called after him and Nygma poked his head around the door.   
"Yes?"  
"Well, I-I was wondering if you could . . ." If it was possible, his head would have exploded with embarrassment. "C-could you help, I mean, I-" The former King of Gotham had wounds crippling him to limited actions, plus, prior to all the chaos, he'd had assistance choosing outfits -Ed knew what complimented his eye colour.  
"Of course." Edward adjusted his glasses, nose twitching (another quirk Oswald mentally noted).

Forty five minutes later, the two stood in front of the mirrors, the man in the deep green, shiny suit, holding up different ties to find one to match the slightly shorter man's suit. They'd had a stupid debate about it, mainly to fill the time. There were four hours until their meeting.  
"I still think the purple one." Edward commented, cocking his head in thought.  
Biting his lip, Oswald said, "I'm fond of the green and black one."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes, we'll match, then, too." He joked, smiling up at Ed, who nodded politely and started knotting the tie neatly around Oswald's neck, seemingly avoiding his eyes, though he felt him staring right at him. His eyes and lips were in Oswald's view as Ed bent down slightly to straighten the tie and with him standing right there, Penguin couldn't bring himself to look away.  
"I believe we'll be taking your car?" Edward asked, breaking the silence, pulling the collar down and stepping out of the way -destroying Penguin's view.  
"Its still here?"  
Nodding, he checked out his own outfit in the mirror. "I can drive us if you like, unless you prefer . . . something else?"  
"No, that's alright. I'd rather you." Oswald examined Ed's face in the mirror, hopefully going unnoticed, as he fiddled with the cufflinks. He used to be able to read Ed's expressions fairly easily, but after all this time apart, he struggled.

"Here." Edward offered his hand to Oswald, aiding him, as his leg was acting up, in to the passengers seat. The leather was cold, matching the equally bitter air.   
"Thank you." He grinned, hating and loving the fact Ed was making a fuss over him. Setting his cane down, Oswald began scratching at the back of his hand, out of pure nerves. One mildly good thing about Arkham was that he didn't have to deal with things like this, he didn't have to constantly look over his shoulder. There was only Jerome to watch out for in the asylum.  
Edward sat up straight in the drivers seat, glancing to his side, "are you okay?"  
It took Oswald a moment to register he was being spoken to. "Yes." He stuttered, forcing a small smile. "Let's just get this over with."  
"Agreed."

Underworld or not, Oswald was still Oswald, so he burst through the doors and they banged against the walls with the force he used. "Hello." He sang way too cheerfully for it to be real. His confidence was fake, but he didn't need to believe it, everyone else did.  
He's almost a totally different person when he's not at home. Edward thought. Though he didn't mind the controlling side of Oswald that stole what he wanted when desired.  
Ed shuffled in behind, glancing around in equal awe and disgust at what Barbra had done to the place. Unlike his friend, he didn't bother saying anything, and didn't plan to either.  
"Hey, Pengy." She was sat at what appeared to be a bedazzled throne, holding a drink her hand, tapping her fingers on the arm of the chair with the other. Her legs were crossed and she dangled a high heeled shoe on the tip of her toe. A gun was on the table next to her and he had no doubt it was loaded.  
Limping forwards, angrily, Oswald scowled, "do not call me that." He stopped in front of her, only a meter apart and tried to make himself look as threatening as possible, though it was hard because he felt the exact opposite of threatening.  
"Oh, Pengy," she teased, sliding off of the chair and standing at the top of the steps up to the platform her throne was on, bending over to be eye level with Penguin.   
Sighing deeply, he glanced to the floor and closed his eyes for a moment, "what do you want?"  
Barbra smiled, walking past him slowly, almost spilling her wine on his shoulder with how loosely she held it. Except for a mere glance his way, she ignored Nygma. "What do I want? I want . . ." She trailed her finger across his shoulders as she circled him, already making him feel uncomfortable. "To form an alliance. There's something I need doing . . ."   
Oswald scoffed, shaking his head. "You and me? No, thank you." It was his turn to step forwards and look her in the eyes. "Last time we did that, it did not end well. Much like every other encounter I've had with you. You betrayed me."  
"Betrayed is such a strong word."   
"An appropriate word, you mean." He paused, wincing at the pain in his leg and hoping he hid it well enough. "If that's all, we'll be going." He turned to storm out, but Ed put a hand on his chest so he couldn't go any further.   
He leaned in, whispering, "don't you think we should consider this?"  
Oswald straightened, shivering as he felt Ed's warm breath on his neck. "Consider what? She only does things when it benefits her, mostly."  
Edward was about to settle his argument when Barbra's voice cut in.  
"Okay, you two . . . I'm currently at the highest status in Gotham, gracefully ruling the underworld, and I think it would be in your best interests to join me. Don't you?"  
"In my interest?" He repeated, turning around to face her, wearing a bored expression, though he was slightly intrigued.  
"You're fresh out of Arkham, the perfect target for anyone claiming the bounty that's been kindly placed on your head. Which there are a lot of, by the way." She sat down at the bar, grabbed a bottle off of the counter and poured another two glasses of wine. She handed one to Penguin, reluctantly doing the same for Edward, who didn't want it but accepted it anyway. He stared at it, swirling the liquid around, while Oswald nearly downed it.   
"Persuade me." He muttered, taking a seat too, Edward next to him.  
Barbra smirked. "I want your help killing Tabitha. We're not on good terms. I can't afford to keep looking over my shoulder all the time." She sipped her wine. "I'm sure you know the feeling."  
Oswald sighed, putting the glass down and folded his arms to rest on the counter. "I thought you guys were besties." He scrunched his face up at the word.  
"Its a long story."  
"We've got time."  
"Its . . . personal." She sighed, growing tired. "Are you going to help me or not?"  
"Why do you need my help? Why not hire someone? Zsaz never misses, you know."  
"I don't want Zsaz. I want to do it myself. Like I said, it's personal. Plus, I've got no other friends, no one who's not scared of me. I need a friend, Ozzie. There's power in numbers."  
Edward noticed how tense Oswald had gotten and he gently placed his hand over his, causing Oswald to jump slightly at his touch. Although Ed saw a hint of a smile as he looked down to hide his face.  
Frowning again, Penguin composed himself. "I fail to see my benefit."  
Barbra smiled a sickly sweet smile, "your benefit is that I won't kill you myself and take the money."  
"How much?" Ed cut in. She had almost forgotten he was there.   
"Oh, Pengy, I see even Ed is getting tired of you."  
Ed looked at Oswald, who had a hurt expression on his face and he hated the fact his words were the cause of it.  
Oswald got up out of his seat, walking over to the window. Taking a deep breath, he gazed down upon Gotham and sighed. "I get it now." He held up a hand to silence Ed, who had been about to speak. "Your success at breaking me out of Arkham wasn't luck or perfect planning, it was so you could all plot against me to claim the money. You're all working together. Is that it?"  
"No." Ed denied, approaching his friend cautiously and holding his hand, squeezing it for reassurance. "Its nothing like that. Believe me . . . I just needed to know how much to estimate the amount of danger you're in. If it's a lot of money, we really need to update our security." He added in a quieter tone.  
"Right," Oswald said skeptically. He knew he couldn't properly trust Edward, but he really wanted to.  
"Excuse me? Love birds?" Barbra clicked her fingers. They both turned to face her. "Do we have a deal?" She asked as she sashayed up to them and outstretched her hand. "Your help killing Tabitha for my help keeping you safe?"  
Oswald looked at Ed in search of confirmation, then reluctantly shook Barbra's hand. "Deal."


	6. Chapter 6

"Tabby!" Barbra called, assurance that she could ditch her hiding place in the shadows. Tabitha sashayed over, heels clicking on the tiled floors, hands resting on her hips as she stopped just before Barbra, who smiled, handing her a drink. "Did you hear everything okay?" Light shimmered off the sequins on her dress, bouncing off of various surfaces, creating patterns.  
She nodded, slamming the glass down on the counter after she drank it. "That bird won't know what hit him. If he thinks he can get away with killing Butch, he's crazy."  
"Honey," Barbra murmured, running a finger along Tabitha's jawline, "this is Gotham. We're all a bit crazy." Even though she was helping get revenge, she had to admit that she was sick to death of hearing Butch's name pop up everywhere.  
You miss him. He's dead, I know, no need to remind me.  
As much as she wanted Penguin six feet under too, she was in no rush. At every open possibility, she stalled and attempted to distract Tabitha from her goal, in hopes they could have some time together with out it being demolished by Butch.  
Usually, Tabitha was up for games, but their situation was dire. "Where's he staying?" She snatched Barbra's wrist, dragging it down to her side and pulling her in at the same time, so their faces were inches apart.  
Barbra smirked and their eyes locked. Her breath hitched in her throat and she hoped she didn't take note of the slight change in her demeanour. "I don't know. But if you hurry, you can follow them." She swiped the keys from under the counter and dropped them in to Tabitha's palm. "Give me a ring when you're done and we can wrap this up."  
For good.  
Squeezing the keys in her hand, Tabitha bolted for the doors and slammed them in anger on her way out.  
Penguin was going to pay.  
Sighing deeply as she collapsed in to a chair, Barbra held her head in her hands and dreaded the amount of effort going in to this whole thing. She remembered how excited she was when they were planning it together, the adrenaline and possibilities. However, now it just seemed like a drag and Butch showed up way too many times for her feelings to be reciprocated. Tabitha was too focused on this one thing. Barbra didn't care anymore.  
She just wanted Tabby back.

Recently, Oswald's anxiety attacks had been more frequent due to the torture in Arkham, beatings from Jerome, and news about the bounty hanging over his head. Things weren't getting any better. Nothing was getting any better.   
Except maybe his friendship with Edward. Hopefully.  
Currently, his heart rate was speeding, pounding in his head, drowning out the sounds of the city. Blood rushed through his ears, though he could hear the muffled noise of Ed talking. But he couldn't make out the words and didn't try to respond as he stared out of the window. Out of nerves, he scraped the wood of his cane, littering the floor with flakes of black paint.  
"Oswald?"  
Remaining silent, Oswald couldn't bring himself to move or answer.   
As they drove by, he soaked in the scenery of an ink sky with no stars, the city buildings and how the light faded in and out when they passed a street lamp. Trying to calm down, he listened to the hum of the car's engine.  
"Oswald?"  
Otherwise, it was quiet. Unnervingly so. He was scared of breathing in case it disrupted the peace. Despite that, Ed's rapid breaths were quite easily heard.  
Closing his eyes, Oswald rested his head back. He didn't know why he couldn't bring himself to respond. He just couldn't. What could he say anyway?  
This was a big mistake?  
We're going to get betrayed?  
Meeting Barbra was wrong?  
The car jerked forwards, knocking his head back against the seat and he sighed. The city stopped moving as Ed parked the car in the shadows on the pavement.   
"Oswald, what's wrong?"  
Eventually, after moments of silence: "nothing, I'm fine."  
"Obviously not, or I wouldn't need to ask." Ed's voice lowered. "Don't lie to me." He shifted in his seat, full body facing Oswald, who still refused to look at him.  
He had tears brimming his eyes. He didn't want Ed to see him like this -vulnerable.  
"Please, look at me."  
Taking a deep breath, he shook his head slightly. "I'm fine."   
Nygma's stare was burning.   
It wasn't until Ed gripped Os's shoulder, cupped his face with his other hand and gently turned his head to look in his general direction that Oswald finally met his eyes.  
"Listen to me," Ed demanded in a soft growl, igniting a flame in Os's chest, "you're safe with me, okay? No one knows where we are. I'll keep you safe. Safe from Arkham, safe from the GCPD and, most of importantly, safe from all those other idiots. Do you promise you'll try to believe me?"  
Taken aback by his unexpected assertive behaviour, Oswald swallowed the lump in throat and gazed in to his friend's brown eyes. Undeniably, he liked how it made him feel. "I . . . I promise." Suddenly, he was very aware that Ed's hand was still on his cheek.  
The air shifted and they were both certain the other leaned in, narrowing the space between them.  
Oswald's blood rushed through his veins. Mind racing, he failed to focus. However, among is jumbled thoughts was him. How it would feel to act on his feelings. How he was only centimetres away from kissing the man he adored -if he was brave enough.  
The tension was so thick that they could almost feel it suffocating them.  
For a second, he dismissed the voices yelling that this was a bad idea. He zoned out the rest of the world and focused solely on Edward, who had glazed over eyes.  
Oswald's chest clenched as he felt Ed's fingers caress his cheek, causing him to stop breathing at the dreaded chance it would end.  
What if he's thinking the same thing?  
Glancing down at his lips, gaze lingering for longer than he cared to admit, Oswald's eyes fluttered back up to meet Ed's, who's eyes were shut.  
Acting on impulse, Penguin dared to inch closer, their lips brushing together, sending a shiver down his spine. Warmth flared through him. After waiting many years, overcoming severe obstacles and losing each other, he wished to completely savour the moment.  
Ed's lips parted, faintly touching Oswald's. A tingling sensation went down his spine and his heart rate increased, loud enough for it to be the only sound in the whole of Gotham. A part of him feared Os might actually hear it too.  
Slowly, Edward's fingers traced Oswald's jawline as his hand left his cheek and the grip on his shoulder loosened entirely.  
Oh no. Oswald thought, panic quickening his breathing.  
Eyes widening in surprise, Ed retreated and straightened, pointlessly fiddling with his tie.  
The silence just became deafening.  
He regrets it. He regrets it. He regrets it and nothing even happened.  
Oswald couldn't believe he'd been so stupid as to actually think that anything would happen.  
Nygma had said it many times before.  
I don't love you.

-

I hated writing this and hated how it turned out.


	7. Chapter 7

That night, Oswald lay in bed, wide awake and unable to sleep.  
It just kept repeating in his head. He felt like a child with a 'high school crush,' but he couldn't help but think of him.  
_We nearly kissed. We nearly kissed_.  
If their friendship wasn't in tatters before, he was certain it was now.  
Edward had driven home faster than needed, hadn't spoken a single word to Oswald as he had darted upstairs and slammed his bedroom door shut.  
What was he supposed to think of that?  
While Ed was undoubtedly sulking alone, Oswald had locked all of the windows and doors (they were in Gotham -couldn't be too careful), closed the curtains and collapsed on to the sofa in a heap of regret, knees tucked under his chin. An aching had flared through his leg but he didn't care for moving it in to a more comfortable position.  
He'd flicked all the lights off, hung his coat up so he was left shivering in a shirt, kicked his shoes off and loosened his tie.  
During his pity party in front of a cold fire, he'd hoped Ed would have come down to join him -it'd been a long stretch. Nevertheless, he'd prayed.  
Regardless of how painfully awkward it would be, he'd wanted to sort things out, talk about it.  
On one hand, he'd longed for Ed to join him. On the other hand, he'd been (still was) anxious about the whole situation. He didn't know what to say.  
The great grandfather clock had struck one o'clock in the morning by the time he'd limped up the stairs, gotten ready for bed and wrapped himself up in blankets.

Inevitably, by three o'clock, he still hadn't succumbed to sleep. A few hours he had been glaring at the ceiling. More times than one he would contemplate going in to Ed's room. It was a silly idea because he was probably asleep. Oswald didn't want to irritate him to the point where he wouldn't glance his way.  
However, he was pretty much desperate and sleep deprived (which was his excuse), so he dragged himself out of the warm bed, pulled one of those sweatshirts over his head that messed up his hair, and wandered along the hall to Ed's room.  
Luckily, it was unlocked and he walked right in. The horrible creaking of the door accompanied him.  
Darkness engulfed the room, save for the beam of light he let in from the corridor, which revealed a lump on the right side of the mattress.  
Oswald didn't like the fact he was invading Ed's privacy, but his feet led him to the foot of the bed anyway.  
"Ed?" He whispered, tugging slightly on the duvet.  
A small groan emitted from the lump under the covers, rustling as he moved to lie flat on his back. Two hands reached up to rub his eyes as Ed scrunched his nose. Oswald couldn't see clearly, but he still thought it was adorable.  
"Are you awake?"  
Edward then stretched, stifling a yawn. "Yeah. I am." His voice was hoarse and deep, noted by Oswald, who again found him adorable.  
It occurred to him that he didn't really know what to do next. Glancing around the room, tapping his foot on the thick carpet, Oswald searched for an answer as if it could be discovered poking out from behind a chair.  
Surely their situation couldn't get any more uncomfortable, so he took a deep breath. "Can . . . can I lie next to you?" He felt anxiety clutch at his heart, physically hurting him.  
_Oh no_. He thought. He was going to be rejected for the second time in less than twenty four hours. Ed's ongoing silence wasn't a good sign and Oswald stepped back to leave.  
Though his fear was vanquished when Ed yanked back the covers, inviting him in. The biggest smile was plastered on his face as he lied down on his side, facing Edward, who had his eyes screwed shut.  
_Maybe Ed's only allowing me to stay out of pity._  
His mood plummeted. Oswald shuffled a little nearer, pushing the boundaries. Resting his head on his arm, he curled up in a ball, one leg straight. At one point he felt his foot touch Ed's and he instantly moved it back, staring up at his friend's face with wide eyes, hoping he wouldn't tell him off or shove him away.  
Instead, to Os's delight, Ed shifted so he was on his side too, facing Oswald, though his eyes were still shut. It surprised him, how casual Ed was being while Oswald was internally freaking out.  
Perhaps the evenings events hadn't registered in his sleep-filled head . . . yet.  
Oswald opened his mouth to say something, but failed to form words. Mind blank, he didn't know what to do.  
They might have been better remaining in silence, but Oswald couldn't stand it.  
"Ed?" He murmured as quietly as possible, keeping his stare on Nygma in case.  
Edward kept drifting in and out of sleep so it took quite a long time for him to reply, Os was just glad he did.  
"Whats wrong?"  
"I . . ." He trailed off, losing what little confidence he possessed. Taking a slow, deep breath, he composed himself. "I'm sorry."  
Eventually, Ed opened his eyes, which reflected the light from the hallway. "What for?"  
Immediately, Oswald felt intimidated and shrank back a little. "Y-you know . . ."  
Edward's confidence vanished too. "For . . . for almost . . ." It was his turn to internally freak out as he took a shaky breath, closing his eyes momentarily to pretend his best friend wasn't there. "There's nothing to apologise for."  
Oswald's heart fluttered, igniting another sense of hope. "I-I thought . . . well-" He was cut off when Ed reached out, taking his hand. Warmth spread throughout his body, his eyes sparked and he smiled dreamily.  
"Its fine, Oswald." A smile appeared on his lips too, which Oswald shamelessly glanced at.  
He didn't know if Ed could tell in the dim light, but he stared at their hands, squeezing Ed's just to make sure he wasn't imaging it. Astonishingly, he squeezed Oswald's hand in response.  
"You should get some sleep." As soon as that window of opportunity opened, it closed. Unfortunately, Edward slowly let go and turned to lie on his back again, eyes shut, lips parted as he breathed through his mouth to sleep. Mentally noted by Os as another of small things he did.  
Sighing somewhat cheerfully, Oswald shuffled around, his back to Nygma. He had fretted for nothing, Ed told him he was fine with it. There was only one way he was going to process that, and it was as wonderful.  
_We'll be okay._ Oswald thought, finally drifting off to sleep.

Some point in the night, he didn't know when, Ed had snaked his arm around Oswald's waist and pulled him in. He could feel Ed's light breaths on the back of his neck. In that moment, he was definitely more content than he had been for as long as he could remember. Placing his hand on top of Ed's, he traced circles with his finger on the back of Ed's hand and was sure he felt him shiver. Oswald snuggled up to him.  
That night they both slept better than they had done in ages.


	8. Chapter 8

Something was missing. Oswald immediately sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes. _Someone_ was missing. It was a bitterly cold morning and Ed had gone, meaning Os couldn't use him as a substitute radiator anymore. Slouching back on the headboard and pillows of the bed, he yanked the duvet right up to just under his nose. Scanning the room, he saw Ed's pyjamas folded on a chair and his wardrobe was open.  
How is he up so early?  
Truthfully, he never woke up until after ten, unless he had to. Seemed like Ed was an early riser.  
For at least fifteen minutes, Oswald had a debate with himself on whether to actually take the bed covers downstairs as it was freezing and they were in a draughty house.  
Eventually, he just settled for rummaging through Ed's clothes and finding an oversized hoodie. He hadn't really considered their height difference before, it didn't matter anyway.  
Reluctantly, he trudged downstairs, burying his hands in the deep pockets and pulling the hood over his head because he had no doubt his hair was sticking up. Yawning, Os ventured in to the kitchen, half expecting Edward to be cooking breakfast or sat at the table with a puzzle or something (he didn't really know what Ed did in his spare time, they hadn't had chance to see each other outside of work often). But he wasn't.  
He found his friend in the living room, hunched over with a book in his hands, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.   
"Enjoying it?" Oswald asked as he crept up behind him, going to stand next to the fire -even though it wasn't lit.   
Instantly, at his presence, Ed smiled as he shut the book, remembering the page number. "Yes, I stole it from your bookshelf. Do you mind?"  
"No, of course not." He grinned, staring at the floor like the carpet was suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. Eye contact was too hard to maintain after the occurrences of yesterday, bearing in mind the level of awkwardness and affection they'd reached.  
Oswald could feel Ed looking at him. It didn't bother him too much. It was just the fact he didn't look very attractive in pyjamas and a hoodie, scruffy black hair included.   
"Are," Edward snickered, "are you wearing my clothes?"   
"Oh." A blush bloomed on Os's cheeks and he scratched the back of his neck, hoping it didn't show. "Yes . . . I can take it off, if you like. It's just cold."  
"No, no, it's fine."  
Gathering up what little confidence he possessed, Oswald raised his eyes to meet Ed's. Only for a second as his courage vanished. The heat never left his cheeks and he was becoming more aware of it, which made him feel even more embarrassed.  
They were trapped in another one of their long, weird silences. Filled with stolen glances. Though neither of them really minded.  
"I made breakfast." Ed said finally, placing his book down on the coffee table. "I was waiting until you came down so we could eat together. It's just in the fridge. I'll get it ready for you." Ed rushed, a blush gracing his cheeks too.  
 _Awe_. Os gushed. _He waited for me._  
He grinned like an idiot as he watched Ed leave, then walked over to one of the mirrors, curious. Unfortunately, he looked a wreck. Dark marks circled his eyes, skin paler than usual, making his freckles more prominent, and his frame looked weak, small and fragile. He sort of hated it. Hated himself.  
 _God, I'm awful._   
He frowned, glaring in to the eyes of his own reflection.  
Oswald was interrupted when he caught Ed coming up behind him to his right in the mirror.   
"Are you alright?" He asked, furrowing his brows, not sure what his friend was thinking.  
He took a deep breath, tearing his gaze away. "I'm fine." Sighing, Oswald spun round and limped past Edward in to the kitchen.  
They both sat down beside each other to eat at the table. Apparently, Ed had cooked a full breakfast -sausages, eggs, beans, mushrooms and toast.  
"This looks lovely." Oswald commented, realising how hungry he was. They'd both skipped dinner yesterday so they ate considerably fast, but not messily. To his own disappointment, Os could only manage to eat half of it.   
"Something wrong?" Ed asked, nearly finished.   
"No, I'm just full. It was really good." He glanced at Ed, who bit his lip in a frown.   
"Okay."   
Every time Edward did that, Oswald always ended up staring and having to quickly turn away and Ed would pretend he didn't notice, though he only caught him half the time. This time, Edward wasn't looking so Oswald let his gaze linger a while longer before he looked to Ed's eyes instead.  
"Thank you." He blurted, fiddling with the sleeve of the hoodie.  
"For what?" Edward met his eyes and couldn't help but smile.  
"Everything." Oswald blushed, tilting his head down and focusing on his hands folded in his lap, chewing at his lip. "The lengths you went to get me out of Arkham, can't have been easy . . . I am grateful, you know . . ." He leaned against him, head on Ed's shoulder as he closed his eyes.  
"Yeah." Ed paused, resting his chin on the top of Penguin's head, taking a deep breath. "I know."

Time had passed so quickly, they'd talked so effortlessly and both of them had failed to notice how dark it'd gotten. Now, in the evening, they were sat on the sofa in the glow of a dying fire.   
Well, truth be told, Ed was reading a book while Oswald was sleeping with his head on his lap. It'd been a long time since he'd drifted off and Ed was growing restless, but he didn't dare move in case he woke him up. Though it wasn't necessary as Os had been awake for at least half an hour. He just liked the feeling of Edward absentmindedly running his fingers through his hair, making him shiver. He loved the closeness.  
Smiling to himself, Oswald took a deep breath, moving to lie on his back instead, secretly squinting up at Ed, who had quit messing with Os's hair. Sighing, Oswald frowned, deciding to break his cover. "Why'd you stop?"  
Edward jumped slightly, glancing down and abandoning the book he then placed on the table. "Why'd you pretend you were still asleep?"  
"I . . ." He trailed off, no excuses coming to mind. "I asked you first."  
"Don't be childish." Ed joked, tapping Os on the nose, receiving a raised eyebrow and confused look in return.  
Oswald narrowed his eyes, chewing at his lip. After a long silence where he sat up properly, purposefully really close to his friend, he finally muttered playfully, "shut up."  
Cocking his head like a dog, Edward narrowed his eyes too. He waited, allowing the tension between them to grow thicker. Eventually, he leaned in and Oswald's heart began to race as he felt Ed's hot breath on his cheeks, it tickled. Goosebumps ran down his arms as Ed whispered in his ear, "make me."  
If it was possible, Oswald would have melted. A blush crept up on to his cheeks. He was extremely aware how Ed was so close that if he had a slither of courage to turn his head, they'd be almost kissing. So, he did. Oswald's breath hitched in his throat as their lips brushed together. Blood rushed through his veins.  
Ed placed his hand on Os's thigh, which caused him to freeze.  
So, he did. Oswald's breath hitched in his throat as their lips brushed together. Blood rushed through his veins.  
Ed placed his hand on Os's thigh, which caused him to freeze.  
He'd been dreaming of this moment. But he couldn't do it. After all those years of unrequited feelings, he just couldn't do it. It felt as though he was cheating himself and it wouldn't be right.  
As Ed leaned in, Os pulled back, avoiding his eyes.  
"What's wrong?" Edward assured, his expression twisting in to a hurt one.  
"Nothing, nothing," Os faked a smile, "I'm just tired . . ."  
Nodding, Edward returned the false smile and hesitantly locked their hands together.

While they ascended the stairs, Oswald's smile grew until it hurt the corners of his mouth. Why? Because Ed hadn't let go of his hand and he couldn't stop thinking about it. The whole way up, he kept his head down, grinning like a mad man. His heart fluttered when they skipped his door altogether and walked in to Ed's bedroom.  
"What-why-I-" apparently he was lost for words.  
"I figured you wouldn't want to be alone." Edward shrugged, releasing his grip on Os's hand as he crossed the room to his wardrobe. "I'll just get changed, you can make yourself comfortable."   
"Don't you want me to leave?"   
"Why?"   
"Because you're . . . you know."  
"Oh," it dawned on him, "just don't watch me then." He flashed a smile, proceeding to unbutton his shirt.  
Regardless of how badly Oswald wanted to peek, he didn't and just got in to bed, throwing the duvet over his head so he wouldn't find himself watching. Ed needed privacy and he respected that. But a part of him didn't care. Shoving those thoughts to the back of his mind, he focused on the brilliant fact he was to spend yet another night in the same bed as the man he simply adored.  
Shutting his eyes, he listened as Ed closed the wardrobe, wandered downstairs to switch off the remaining lights, check the fire, lock the doors and trudge back upstairs. Soon enough, the mattress beside him dipped and he felt Ed next to him, radiating warmth. Oswald moved so he was lying on his back, turning his head to the side.  
"Hi." He smiled.  
"Hi." Ed chuckled, taking off his glasses. "Are you okay?"  
Hesitantly, he nodded. "Yeah. Why?"   
"What was wrong?"   
"Honestly," he paused, biting his lip. Oswald shuffled to lie on his side, Edward doing the same. Eye contact achieved. "I don't know. I just . . ."   
"I didn't do anything, did I? Was it me?"   
"No," Os smiled faintly, "you're not to blame."  
Silence.   
For a moment, he just gazed in to his eyes. It sounded silly, but all troubles disappeared for a minute. No more words needed to be said.  
Sighing, he moved so he had his back to Ed, who snaked his arm around Oswald's waist, pulling him in.  
"Goodnight." Oswald sighed contently.   
"Goodnight."


End file.
